FLASHBACK FRIDAY: Proms Date

This week, in conjunction with SOUND OFF, we are taking a look at Sunday evening's starry West End salute to Stephen Sondheim which was broadcast in the UK on TV and everywhere on the BBC website, BBC PROMS: SONDHEIM AT 80. This unforgettable event stars Dame Judi Dench, Maria Friedman, Bryn Terfel, Caroline O'Conner, Julian Ovenden, Daniel Evans, Jenna Russell and Simon Russell Beale singing selections from Sondheim's entire oeuvre - among them: "Send In The Clowns", "Broadway Baby", "Children Will Listen", "Move On" and "Side By Side". Dame Dench's recreation of her Desiree Armfeldt - a role currently essayed by Bernadette Peters who opened this week in the replacement cast of the Broadway revival of A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, replacing Tony-winner Catherine Zeta-Jones - is merely impossibly elegant decoration on a decadently rich, rewarding, fulfilling and entertaining gateau of celebratory Sondheimian greatness. A piece of birthday cake like few others. Come see and hear some clips from it for yourself if you haven't already!

One Last Look

BBC PROMS: Sondheim At 80

The following clips are the highlights of the night, though the entire evening's entertainment is highly recommended viewing, not only for the delightfully delectable musical numbers, but also the fascinating documentary and revealing live chat with Sondheim himself during the intermission.

As a special bonus, this is a portion of the event that did not make the BBC broadcast, an inventive and quite endearing rendition of "Take Me To The World" from the TV musical EVENING PRIMROSE by members of nearly all the various BBC orchestras and musical ensembles. And considering these are mostly musicians singing, they do quite well by the song!

Also, be sure to check out my complete SOUND OFF review of the event, linked below, if you already haven't by now.

That's all for this week. Please remember that if you have discovered a particularly thrilling, unique, bizarre or hilarious Broadway-related clip to please send us a line at the link below. Until next week…

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Pat Cerasaro is BroadwayWorld's Chief Interviewer and Senior Editor, contributing exclusive scholarly columns including InDepth InterViews, Sound Off, Theatrical Throwback Thursdays, Flash Friday and Flash Special as well as additional special features, world premiere clips and extensive news coverage. His work for the site has appeared in The New York Times, The Hollywood Reporter, US Weekly, The Biography Channel, NBC and more. He also wrote and directed two sold-out 2014 BroadwayWorld charity concert events featuring all-star casts, EVERYTHING'S COMING UP BROADWAYWORLD.COM: A JULE STYNE TRIBUTE and THE LORD & THE MASTER: BROADWAYWORLD.COM SINGS THE MUSIC OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER & STEPHEN SONDHEIM.